2017 McMNC: Central Florida Knights

AP Top 10: Final Record -- Key Bowl Results

1. Alabama (13-1): Won CFP Bowl, 26-23
2. Georgia (13-2): Lost CFP Bowl, 23-26
3. Oklahoma (12-2): Lost Rose Bowl, 48-54
4. Clemson (12-2): Lost Sugar Bowl, 6-24
5. Ohio State (12-2): Won Cotton Bowl, 24-7
6. UCF (13-0): Won Peach Bowl, 34-27
7. Wisconsin (13-1): Won Orange Bowl, 34-24
8. Penn State (11-2): Won Fiesta Bowl, 35-28
9. TCU (11-3): Won Alamo Bowl, 39-37
10. Auburn (10-4): Lost Peach Bowl, 27-34

The CFP is officially worthless now, as it did not learn from its 2016 errors. Once again, it let an also-ran squad into the Final Four over a two-loss conference champion, and the integrity of the "playoff" is officially dead. Bring on the next phase of evolution ... *sigh*

Ohio State won the Big Ten with two losses, and the CFP chose Alabama—which did not win its own division of the SEC—for the Final Four. This also basically let in a team that lost its last regular-season game, somewhat similarly to what the BCS did with Nebraska in 2001, really. But hey, it's the SEC and Alabama, so they had to do it, right? Hogwash, regardless of the "results" on the field. When the means are lying, cheating, and stealing, the end never justifies them.

We need a McMNC for 2017 that won its conference and its bowl game; the options are minimal. Ohio State and UCF are the best of the bunch, really, and neither of them made the CFP. After all, if the CFP wanted to do the right thing, Alabama's spot would have gone to UCF: an undefeated conference champion. Of course, Georgia could have made this all mute by simply playing defense in the CFP title game, but I digress. Never mind Alabama finished as the fifth-best team in the country by this simple rating system's standards. 

That system also shows up Ohio State's SOS was far better than UCF's SOS, so the Buckeyes get the first edge, in the sense they have overcome their extra losses to at least pull even with the Knights. Ohio State drops a bit, though, because the Buckeyes suffered a 31-point road loss to unranked Iowa, which finished 8-5 on the year. That's a bad loss, and of course, UCF doesn't have any losses. Consider the two teams even again.

So it comes down to wins: UCF's first ten wins were against unranked opponents, but with everything on the line in the final three games, the Knights beat three straight ranked teams, by seven points each. They did not dominate, but they also didn't buckle. They won. As for Ohio State, the Buckeyes beat four ranked teams and lost to another one at home (Oklahoma) by 15 points. Did UCF play anyone as good as Oklahoma? Well, that depends on your perspective, since the Knights beat Auburn in the Peach Bowl—the same Auburn which handed Alabama its only loss.

Now, the Tigers probably lost their motivation after losing the SEC title game to Georgia. We get that; it happens a lot. But Ohio State only beat Penn State by a point and Wisconsin by six points, respectively, so the Buckeyes weren't blowing anyone out of the water. And again, we arrive at the fact the Knights didn't lose to anyone, not even the best team on their schedule. It can be said the Buckeyes did lose to the best team on their schedule, and at home.

Congratulations, UCF.

McMNC Revision:

1. UCF
2. Ohio State
3. Georgia
4. Oklahoma
5. Alabama

RUNNING SCORECARD:
Penn State: +1977, +1981, =1982, =1986, +1994
USC: -1962, =1967, +1969, =1972, +1978, +1979, =2003, =2004
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951, =1998
Washington: +1960, +1991
Georgia Tech: +1952, +1990
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937, =1976, +1980
Ohio State: -1942, +1944, =1954, =1968, =2002, +2012, =2014
UCF: +2017
Oklahoma State: +2011
Utah: +2008
West Virginia: +2007
Boise State: +2006
UCLA: +1965
Arkansas: +1964
Mississippi: +1962
Iowa: +1956
Illinois: +1951
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
TCU: -1938, +2010
BYU: =1984
Syracuse: =1959
Texas A&M: =1939
Georgia: +1946, -1980
Michigan State: -1952, +1953
Michigan: +1947, =1948, -1997
Nebraska: =1970, =1971, -1994, =1995, +1997
Oklahoma: +1949, -1950, =1955, -1956, +1957, =1975, =1986, =2000
Auburn: -1957, +1983, -2010
Maryland: -1953
Clemson: -1981, =2016
Colorado: -1990
Florida State: -1993, =1999, =2013
Texas: =1963, -1969, =2005
Army: -1944, -1945
LSU: =1958, -2003, -2007
Florida: =1996, -2006, -2008
Miami-FL: -1983, =1987, =1989, -1991, =2001
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941, -1960
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949, =1966, =1973, -1977, =1988, +1993
Alabama: +1945, =1961, -1964, -1965, -1978, -1979, =1992, =2009, -2011, -2012, =2015, -2017